Identifying Information Not Supplied
Read the passage and familiarize yourself with it. In the question, all the options except one will be provided by the passage in order to correctly answer a question. Identify which is the option with information not provided by the passage or correctly answering the question.
Infererences Not in the Passage
Read the passage and thoroughly understand it. The question will present options that include inferences (what is implied and not directly stated) from the passage and one option with an inference that cannot be drawn from the passage. Identify which option has the inference that cannot be drawn from the passage.
How to Identify the Theme
The theme of the text/passage is the central idea or message that the text is trying to convey. Sometimes, the author will state the theme clearly. But when the theme is not clearly stated, you have to use clues to infer the theme from the text. Read the text carefully and look for any theme that runs through the whole passage.
How to Identify the Theme
For example, let's look at the story of Cinderella. The evil step-mother and step-sisters mistreat Cinderella. However, Cinderella's goodness is rewarded. Her fairy godmother makes it possible for her to go to the ball where she meets the prince. In the end, she marries the prince and lives happily ever after. Thus, it is clear that the overall theme of this story is "the triumph of good over evil."
Theme and Moral
Theme and moral might seem quite similar to each other, but there is a difference between the two. Both theme and moral can be stated directly or indirectly. However, the theme usually runs through the whole text or passage. On the other hand, moral is something that becomes clear at the end of the text. A theme does not have to be positive and it is not meant to teach the reader anything. However, a moral is meant to teach a lesson or certain values to the reader.
Summary
The summary of a text/passage is a shortened version of the text that includes only the main points or ideas. To summarize a text, first read through the text carefully and make a note of the important points. Then, combine the highlighted points in your own words to create a summary.
How to Identify the Message or Moral
For example, in the story about the hare and the tortoise, the hare is proud and over-confident about his ability to win a race. The tortoise, on the other hand, moves slowly, but is determined to finish the race. In the end, the tortoise defeats the hare. In this story, the moral is "slow and steady wins the race" or "pride goes before a fall."
Correcting Errors
Read the following sentence:
Maya was inspired to paint a picture, looking at the beautiful seenery.
It is evident that the word "scenery" in this sentence has been spelled wrong. Now that you have identified the error, it is time to correct it. The corrected sentence would be: Maya was inspired to paint a picture, looking at the beautiful scenery.
Maya was inspired to paint a picture, looking at the beautiful seenery.
It is evident that the word "scenery" in this sentence has been spelled wrong. Now that you have identified the error, it is time to correct it. The corrected sentence would be: Maya was inspired to paint a picture, looking at the beautiful scenery.
Identifying Errors
For example, read the following lines:
(1) Sarah woke up late in the morning. (2) She jumps out of bed and gets dressed. (3) She made it just in time for the train.
Here, sentences 1 and 3 are written using the past tense, but sentence 2 uses the present tense. Hence, it is evident that sentence 2 is the one with the error.
(1) Sarah woke up late in the morning. (2) She jumps out of bed and gets dressed. (3) She made it just in time for the train.
Here, sentences 1 and 3 are written using the past tense, but sentence 2 uses the present tense. Hence, it is evident that sentence 2 is the one with the error.
Identifying Evidence Supporting the Author's Claim
The argument that the author builds consists of points supported by evidence. Without evidence, a point remains unsupported and cannot contribute towards building the argument.
Questions asking you to identify evidence supporting the author's claim provide options with various kinds of evidence. You must identify which one will best support the claim mentioned by the question.
Questions asking you to identify evidence supporting the author's claim provide options with various kinds of evidence. You must identify which one will best support the claim mentioned by the question.
Identifying What Strengthens/Weakens a Claim
The author of the passage will have made a claim or be arguing for a particular point. Evidence introduced by the question may strengthen or weaken this claim or point. You must identify which evidence either strengthens or weakens the claim, as asked by the question.
Revision of a Proposition
A proposition refers to a claim made by an author or a point that an author is arguing for. The question asking whether a proposition should be revised asks you to assess the evidence given and decide whether the proposition or claim should be changed to something that can be supported by the evidence.
What both authors would disagree with
When there are two passages (written by two different authors), we may need to identify which point/statement both authors would disagree with. For example, if both passages are about 'the dangers and consequences of drinking', the authors would probably disagree on the point that 'drinking is a necessity'. The key to answering such questions is to identify the common themes or points in both texts and identify the opposite or counterclaim among the options given.
How One Author Would Describe Something in Another
Read the passages in comparison carefully and understand the views and positions of the first author. Then describe how the first author would put something from his or her own point of view that is described from the point of view of the second author in the second passage.
Inferences from the Graph and Passage
Read the passage and the graph carefully in order to understand both. Then draw conclusions from the information in the graph and the passage. Inferences involve making deductions which are not directly stated but implied from the information given in the graph and the passage.
Type of Publication
Different kinds of publication would require different kinds of passages or articles. Informative passages might be included in documentary or informative magazines, news might be included in a newspaper, stories or poetry might be included in a literary book, and so on. Questions asking you what kind of publication a passage would be included in ask you to identify what subject and style the passage belongs to and what kind of publication it would most fit in with.
Imagery
Imagery refers to language that contains visual pictures or images, or to language that is descriptive.
Eg:
To bend with apples the moss'd cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;
To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells
With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,
And still more, later flowers for the bees
These lines from 'To Autumn' by John Keats contain many images of fruit and flowers.
Eg:
To bend with apples the moss'd cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;
To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells
With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,
And still more, later flowers for the bees
These lines from 'To Autumn' by John Keats contain many images of fruit and flowers.
Parallelism
Parallelisms are verbal constructions in prose or poetry that are similar in grammatical structure or metre.
Eg.
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of
wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it
was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the
season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of
despair."
In the above example, each clause of the sentence begins with "it was."
Eg.
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of
wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it
was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the
season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of
despair."
In the above example, each clause of the sentence begins with "it was."
Anachronism
An anachronism refers to the representation of an event, person, or thing in a historical context in which it could not have occurred or existed.
For example, referring to the existence of rifles in ancient Rome is an anachronism, for rifles were invented long after ancient Rome, and ancient Rome used other weapons like swords, shields and spears.
For example, referring to the existence of rifles in ancient Rome is an anachronism, for rifles were invented long after ancient Rome, and ancient Rome used other weapons like swords, shields and spears.
Setting a Tone/Mood
Read the following lines:
The door creaked as she pushed it open. The room was dark and cobwebs hung from the ceiling. Her heart beating rapidly, she stepped inside. Suddenly, something touched her leg. She jumped and looked down. It was only a rat.
In these lines, the writer creates a mood of suspense and mystery by using words such as "beating rapidly" and "dark."
The door creaked as she pushed it open. The room was dark and cobwebs hung from the ceiling. Her heart beating rapidly, she stepped inside. Suddenly, something touched her leg. She jumped and looked down. It was only a rat.
In these lines, the writer creates a mood of suspense and mystery by using words such as "beating rapidly" and "dark."
Author's Point of View
Every passage has a point of view. This is the angle from which the author chooses to write the passage. The author may take up a neutral point of view that does not belong to any particular character, or he may take up the point of view of a particular character in the passage.
Rhyming Words
A rhyme scheme is a poet's deliberate pattern of lines that rhyme with other lines in a poem or a stanza. The rhyme scheme, or pattern, can be identified by giving end words that rhyme with each other the same letter. For instance, take the poem 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star', written by Jane Taylor in 1806.
'Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!'
The rhyme scheme of this poem can be determined by looking at the end word in each line. The first line ends with the word 'star', and the second line ends in the word 'are'. Because the two words rhyme, they both are given the letter 'A'. 'A' signifies that we have found the first rhyme in the poem.
The third line ends with the word 'high', and the fourth line ends in 'sky'. These two words don't rhyme with the first two words, 'star' and 'are', so they get the letter 'B'. So far, we have a rhyme scheme of AABB.
'Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!'
The rhyme scheme of this poem can be determined by looking at the end word in each line. The first line ends with the word 'star', and the second line ends in the word 'are'. Because the two words rhyme, they both are given the letter 'A'. 'A' signifies that we have found the first rhyme in the poem.
The third line ends with the word 'high', and the fourth line ends in 'sky'. These two words don't rhyme with the first two words, 'star' and 'are', so they get the letter 'B'. So far, we have a rhyme scheme of AABB.
Sonnet
A sonnet is a poem of fourteen lines. The verses have a specific rhyme scheme. There are two kinds of sonnets: a Petrarchan sonnet is divided into an octave (verse of eight lines) and a sestet (verse of six lines); a Shakespearean sonnet is divided into three quatrains (verse of four lines) and a couplet (verse of two lines).
Rhyming Words
Rhyming words are words with similar sounds. In a poem, they usually appear at the end of a line. For example, look at the following poem:
The Tyger
Tyger Tyger, burning bright,
In the forests of the night;
What immortal hand or eye,
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?
In these lines, the rhyming words are "bright" and "night."
The Tyger
Tyger Tyger, burning bright,
In the forests of the night;
What immortal hand or eye,
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?
In these lines, the rhyming words are "bright" and "night."
Style of a Poem
Read the following poem:
Summer Shower by Emily Dickinson
A drop fell on the apple tree,
Another on the roof,
And made the gables laugh,
The breezes brought dejected lutes,
And bathed them in the glee;
And signed the fete away.
When you read these lines, it is clear that the poet has used a descriptive style. She uses words to vividly describe the summer shower. Her words allow the reader to picture the scene in their mind.
Summer Shower by Emily Dickinson
A drop fell on the apple tree,
Another on the roof,
And made the gables laugh,
The breezes brought dejected lutes,
And bathed them in the glee;
And signed the fete away.
When you read these lines, it is clear that the poet has used a descriptive style. She uses words to vividly describe the summer shower. Her words allow the reader to picture the scene in their mind.
Comparing Poems
Read the following two poems and note the similarities and differences:
The Cloud by P. B Shelley
I bring fresh showers for the thirsting flowers
From the seas and the streams;
I bear light shade for the leaves when laid
In their noonday dreams.
To a Cloud by William Cullen Bryant
Beautiful cloud! with folds so soft and fair,
Swimming in the pure quiet air!
Thy fleeces bathed in sunlight, while below
Thy shadow o'er the vale moves slow;
When we compare the two poems, we can see that they both talk about clouds. But the difference between them is that while the first poem is written in the first person, the second poem is written in the second person. Another difference is the rhyme scheme used in the two poems. While the first poem follows an abcb rhyme scheme, the second poem follows an aabb rhyme scheme.
The Cloud by P. B Shelley
I bring fresh showers for the thirsting flowers
From the seas and the streams;
I bear light shade for the leaves when laid
In their noonday dreams.
To a Cloud by William Cullen Bryant
Beautiful cloud! with folds so soft and fair,
Swimming in the pure quiet air!
Thy fleeces bathed in sunlight, while below
Thy shadow o'er the vale moves slow;
When we compare the two poems, we can see that they both talk about clouds. But the difference between them is that while the first poem is written in the first person, the second poem is written in the second person. Another difference is the rhyme scheme used in the two poems. While the first poem follows an abcb rhyme scheme, the second poem follows an aabb rhyme scheme.
Comedy
Comedy is a genre of play, particularly existing in the fifteenth to the nineteenth centuries. It involves a happy ending for most characters and may involve the marriage of its main characters. It is more lighthearted than the intense themes and tones of other genres like tragedy or satire.
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